Are you a fan of dinosaurs? You may only be aware of the most common dinosaurs, but do you have any ideas about the coolest dinosaurs to have ever lived on this planet? If you’re wondering what they are and why they’re ‘cool,’ this article is probably for you. And if you want to start knowing about dinosaurs in general, then you could take a look at some of the amazing facts about dinosaurs here.
It’s not unknown that dinosaurs were the kings of the ancient world for more than 100 million years. Not until an asteroid slammed the earth 66 million years ago, dinosaurs were among the most dominant creatures to have ever lived in the world. That’s why humans are so curious about studying them because of their unique and unknown characteristics. Paleontologists have put in a lot of effort in recent years and discovered some interesting and unusual dinosaurs along the way.
To give you a few, here is a list of the coolest dinosaurs to have ever walked the earth:
1. Ankylosaurus
Source: fandom.com
When talking about cool dinosaurs, it wouldn’t be fair to begin without mentioning the ankylosaurus. While it is not one of the most well-known armored dinosaurs, it is famous for its unique features. The ankylosaurus lived near the end of the Cretaceous period, between 75 million and 66 million years ago. One of its remarkable features is its bony plates. It was the reason why it was called a living tank. As a result, the ankylosaurus was a tough dinosaur that would have been difficult to prey on by any animal.
It means that the ankylosaurus’s bony plates are what sets it apart. The ones on its legs were said to be about the size of a hand, and the bony plates on its neck and back were about six feet long and three feet wide. The total number of plates on its entire body is said to have been thirty. As a result, the ankylosaurus is now one of the coolest dinosaurs ever! You can check out a post from gagebeasleyshop.com for more on the ankylosaurus.
2. Chasmosaurus
The chasmosaurus is another awesome dinosaur. The chasmosaurus lived in the Cretaceous period. It stood about sixteen to seventeen feet tall and had the coolest feature of all: a bony frill behind its head. It is said to have served as both armor and a weapon. Paleontologists also believe that due to the large frill’s frame-like nature, this species could have been brightly colored and thus used courting.
3. Ceratosaurus
Source: fandom.com
The ceratosaurs are another interesting species of dinosaur. The ceratosaurs, whose name means ‘horned lizard,’ have three horns. Two of which are above each eye and the third on the snout. These horns were frightening, especially when combined with the dinosaur’s bony plates on its back, tail, and neck. What’s even cooler is that the ceratosaurs most likely used their horns to dominate other males. It also gives them a sense of superiority after defeating other male ceratosaurs. As a predator, the ceratosaurs had a large tail for swimming, implying that the dinosaur also relied on fish for food. You can click here to learn about other aquatic dinosaurs.
4. Massospondylus
Source: eurekalert.org
Have you ever heard of the massospondylus? If you haven’t, here are some cool facts you may find interesting. Massospondylus is known for being unique in that scientists couldn’t figure out whether it was a carnivore or a herbivore. Its front teeth resembled those of a carnivore, while its back teeth resembled those of a herbivore. However, the debate was sparked by other studies that suggested the massospondylus could have been a herbivore due to its facial anatomy, which had a very small head.
5. Pachycephalosaurus
Source: fandom.com
Another interesting and cool dinosaur is the pachycephalosaurus. Its name translates as ‘thick-headed skull.’ The pachycephalosaurus is unique due to its prominent bony hump on top of its skull. The bony hump could be as thick as nine inches. Scientists believe the humps were for courtship challenges, a dominance test. Isn’t it cool that dinosaurs had to prove their masculinity or femininity as well?
6. Baryonyx Walker
Source: darwinsdoor.co.uk
The Baryonyx is also quite fascinating. Scientists say the Baryonyx walker looks more like a crocodile than any other dinosaur, but its teeth differed from Baryonyx to Baryonyx, making classification difficult. The scientists also say that the Baryonyx walker was a fish predator who lived near a large lake in Europe. It is due to the discovery of fish fossils in the Baryonyx’s stomach. Because of its uniqueness in resembling a crocodile and having teeth unique to each Baryonyx, the Baryonyx can be cooler.
7. Troodon Formosus
Source: fandom.com
Last but not least, the troodon formosus. While the Baryonyx walker looks like a crocodile, the troodon formosus is more like a bird. It was discovered in 1855 and considered a lizard until 1877. When more of its characteristics were revealed, it was classified as a bed-like reptile. These species are believed to be intelligent because of their large brains.
Scientists argue that their intelligence is why they were among the last dinosaurs to go extinct. It implies that the troodon formosus had a well-thought-out survival strategy, which they used to survive in the wild. Scientists say that the troodon’s other skill is laying eggs and incubating them in earth nests. They sometimes had to sit on it to keep the eggs warm. This level of intelligence is comparable to that of modern birds, which use similar methods to incubate their eggs.
To sum up, the troodon formosus is unique because of its high-level mental capacity. It clarifies the present-day bird’s evolution stage. As you may have guessed, this dinosaur is one-of-a-kind, which only adds to its appeal.
Conclusion
Dinosaurs are fascinating to explore because there is so much to learn about them. If you’ve always wanted to know about the coolest dinosaurs, this article has most likely made you realize how much you’ve been missing out on by not knowing about the ones listed.
